New Setup

dzones

dzones

New member
So I found just the right tank for the front of my store. I was looking for up to a 150 gallon but more importantly a 5' tank instead of the more traditional 4 or 6' tanks due to the 60" 3x 250w MH light setup I still had.
Bruce from FB was able to hook me up nicely with his previous special order AGA 180 gallon with dual overflows and starfire glass front tank. It measures 60x24x29.
I will start the setup pics tomorrow night as it is well on its way to being ready for some goodies to go into it.
 
I will follow your thread!
Bare bottom or DSB?
I read conflicting arguments about this on the blogs, wonder what your thoughts are on this (and other JARC members) since you are starting a new tank.
 
I used to be a big fan of the DSB. This will be one of my first not doing a tank without one. This one will have about a 1'5-2" bed of reef flakes and sand
I have never been a bare bottom tank fan at all. I just think it looks too unnatural. Seems we always try to mimic our rock work to look as close to a real reef as possible but then to go ahead and leave a glass bottom..nah not for me.
 
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As mentioned the tank and stand I got from Bruce at Fishy Business. The stand was more a throw in. I just needed it for the frame since I was gonna recover it and make it white to match the store counters.
1) A Rough Start
photo4.jpg

2) Strip down and tank cleaning started.
P1010012.jpg
 
I have checked on the flakes and though of trying it when I setup another tank. I want to see how it looks when you get thongs going.

Sent via Tapatalk from Android 4G.
 
I initially just tried painting the stand but was not at all happy with the look. Besides I did not want customer access to the underside so decided after to just pull the doors off and cover them in.
3) Original Stand Idea
P1010002.jpg

The placement of the tank gives me a nice rear access area as well as a cool 6'x6' "fish room" tucked back behind. I was also real lucky in that the floor was PERFECT level in all directions without a single shim. THAT doesn't happen too often lol.
4)Side Look
P1010003.jpg
 
Once I had the frame exposed I decided to give the stand some extra support and also to expand it just an extra inchish (new word I just created). The AGA 180 build has some pretty thick glass and with the extra trim around the bottom it made it slightly larger than the stand.
5) Extra Support
IMG_0030.jpg
 
It looks like you are making some progress. So does this location have plenty of room for a <cough> ... meeting <cough> ... or gathering of people to look at this nice reef when it is done? ;)
 
techdiver said:
It looks like you are making some progress. So does this location have plenty of room for a <cough> ... meeting <cough> ... or gathering of people to look at this nice reef when it is done? ;)
Click to expand...

You know me, of COURSE there is room and I would be willing to host anytime. The tank is well beyond the pics you see, just pacing myself on here lol.
 
Some of the new goodies I needed:
6) RO/DI unit: I was fortunate enough to have a little kitchenette in the front of the store just across the front door area from the tank so I hooked up the RO/DI beside the sink and ran the tubing through the ceiling about 20 feet and down into the sump area. I will show pics of that next post set.
P1010010.jpg

Decided to change up the salt this time. Been a Reef Crystals user for a while and after doing research on this was happy with what I heard about the Coral Pro. 55 bucks shipped for a 175g pail seemed reasonable enough. It is really fine and dissolves to nothing very very quickly. Has great Mg/Ca levels as can be seen on the pail
7) Salt Choice:
P1010015.jpg
 
This is the light system I had left over from my previous 110g. I only used it for about 6 months. 3x 250w MH, 4x CF actinics, moonlights and built in fans.
8)Lights:
IMG_0319-1.jpg

Skimmer I got for a previous tank but was too big for the sump I had. It is essentially the E.T.S.S. 800 before the re-name slight design change. I put a quiet one 4000 on it and it is skimming like a champ.
9) Skimmer:
IMG_0656.jpg

IMG_0036.jpg
 
After doing some research and seeing some nice results I have decided to try the Bio-Pellet route instead of a refugium. Based on One Reef's (From WTMRAC) experience I decided to go ahead and get the WM EcoBak Pellets. Here also is the Tropic Eden Reeflakes he so highly recommends to all. I must say I am also VERY satisfied with the look of the flakes in comparison to the finer sand I used to use in the past. From what I could see, Premium Aquatics was one of the only places I could find it. Even the Tropic Eden Website is no longer available.
10) Pellets and Substrate:
P1010014.jpg


Now for my Pellet Reactor I went a slightly different route. I was gonna use my Two Little Fishes Phosban reactor when I found something kinda cool. The Avast Marine Reactor. Good reviews and one of the really cool parts is you can build it yourself if you want. Very cool for most of us who like to tinker. It saves about 15-20 bucks that way. I got my 5 cup capable reactor shipped for 64 bucks total. Total build time was like 30 minutes or so, not including any dry time. They even have a video on their site showing the step by step instructions of the build.
11a) Avast Pellet Reactor from box:
IMG_0017.jpg

11b) Comes with everything you need, even the adhesive and sandpaper.
IMG_0018.jpg
 
Nice thread, Dave. I'll see how the reactor works for you, but I don't think I want to get rid of the refugium. I saw OneReef's thread a while back and looked at them. I may have to stop by one day this week during lunch if that is ok.
 
Yeah drop by anytime, I am there every day.

I am still not sure of how to arrange my sump and am in more of a temporary phase with it. I will try out the pellets for a while, knowing by what I am reading that I must increase feeding for corals once I get them. I am fairly certain I will be adding an area for pods though, just not a full fuge like before.
 
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